How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Stephen Elias

Well, I missed the boat on this one. I'd hoped the 2005 12th edition would cover the bankruptcy law changes in some detail, but nope-- this one still covers the old laws. If you're thinking about filing for bankruptcy now, you will likely be better off waiting for Elias' new one, he New Bankruptcy: Will It Work for You? (Nolo, 2006).At this point, it really only has value as an archival document, or something you pick up for background reading while waiting for the new book (after all, not everything in bankruptcy law has changed; you'll still get some valuable info out of this).

The book does an excellent job of explaining why, in general, you don't really need a lawyer to file Chapter 7. Elias etc. go through the forms line-by-line, with copious explanation and recommendations of when you will need a lawyer based on your answers to a number of the questions.

Solid stuff, I just with I'd gotten to it earlier. Now, I'm in the same boat you are-- waiting for the new one (which was supposed to drop Dec. 19, 2005, but oesn't seem to have seen the light of day yet).